Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

These are not settings of the Psalms that any of us are ever likely to sing as part of our worship; these are Psalms for the concert hall not the church. This is not to say that they are not worth hearing or indeed that your spirit will not be raised as you listen. Award-winning choir Tenebrae is one of the world's leading vocal ensembles, renowned for its passion and precision. Joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the choir's director Nigel Short they perform iconic works by Igor Stravinsky ("Symphony Of Psalms"), Leonard Bernstein ("Chichester Psalms"), Alexander Zemlinsky ("Psalm 23"), as well as Arnold Schoenberg's final significant tonal work "Freide auf Erden" ("Peace On Earth"). None are easy listening but I suppose were we to travel back to Old Testament times and hear these Psalms in their original context we would not be joining in with the choruses. However all four composers are among the finest of the 20th century and under the assured direction of Nigel Short we are in safe hands. If he thinks these pieces are worthy of our attention then we should be prepared to listen with an open mind. As I say, the music is challenging by which I mean we have to concentrate but once we are tuned in to the tonal world of the composers the CD is certainly listenable. Texts - including some in Hebrew - and translations are provided and if you are looking for an interesting introduction to any of these notable composers or if you enjoy contemporary choral music this is recommended.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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